Dmitri Mihhailov
Managing Partner
Founder of Prifinance. 15+ years structuring international companies, banking and licensing for founders worldwide.
Register a company in Austria, the CEE headquarters standard.
Set up an Austrian GmbH remotely: €10,000 capital with half paid in, 23% corporate tax, a cross-border group-taxation regime and a 14% cash premium on R&D. Make no mistake: Austria is a premium onshore, not a tax play. You come here for Vienna's gateway to Central and Eastern Europe.An Austrian GmbH remotely: €10,000 capital (half paid), 23% tax, cross-border group taxation, 14% R&D cash premium. In one line: a premium onshore for running CEE, not a tax play.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
6,000+
companies servedcompanies served
Updated
Austria · at a glance
Legal formGmbH · FlexCo
Time to set up1-3 weeks
Corporate tax23%
Minimum capital€10,000 - €5,000 paid
R&D premium14% - cash refund
Remote setupYes - POA / digital notary
4.7
★★★★★
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Austria in brief
Where Western polish meets Eastern reach.
Austria is the address multinationals choose to run Central and Eastern Europe: an AA-rated euro economy, banks that have financed the region for a century (Erste, RBI, UniCredit Bank Austria), and Vienna's unmatched corridor of flights, rail and relationships into two dozen CEE markets. Company law caught up with founders in 2024. GmbH capital dropped to €10,000 with €5,000 paid in, and the new FlexCo form added startup-friendly governance and employee participation.
The placement, exactly: at 23% corporate tax and 27.5% on distributions, nobody incorporates in Austria to save tax. The system pays you back differently. A group-taxation regime that consolidates even foreign subsidiaries' losses, a 14% research premium refunded in cash whether or not you are profitable, ninety-plus tax treaties, and total institutional predictability. Costs are real: German-language filings, mandatory accounting, some of Europe's higher payroll on-costs. For a CEE headquarters, holding or R&D base, few flags repay the premium better.
Vienna is where multinationals run Central-Eastern Europe: an AA-rated euro economy, banks that finance the region, flights and relationships into two dozen markets. Since 2024: GmbH at €10,000 capital and the startup-friendly FlexCo.
The short version: 23% plus 27.5% on distributions; nobody comes for the rate. The payback: group taxation consolidating foreign losses, 14% R&D premium in cash, 90+ treaties, total predictability. German filings and real payroll costs included.
Packages & pricing
Austrian company - cost & packages.
01 - GMBH · GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Company
from€3,900EUR · all-in
Remote registration of an Austrian GmbH: notarised deed, commercial-register filing, tax registrations and the first year of the registered address.
✓Name check & notary deed (POA or digital)✓Commercial-register filing & court fees✓Articles of association drafted✓Registered address in Vienna - first year✓Tax & VAT (UID) registration handled✓Free pre-incorporation consultation
Optional add-ons: FlexCo structuring from €900, accounting from €350/month, annual renewal from €3,000/year.Add-ons: FlexCo structuring from €900 · accounting from €350/month · renewal from €3,000/year.
Start with Company →02 - GMBH · GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Most popularCompany + Bank Account
from€6,500EUR · all-in
A working GmbH with an Austrian bank account: capital account for the paid-in €5,000, then full corporate banking with cards and online access.
✓Everything in Company✓Capital & operating account with an Austrian bank✓Account application & KYC file preparation✓Introduction to 2-3 suitable banks✓Compliance onboarding support✓Dedicated account manager
Start with Banking →Prices are starting points and get confirmed for your case before any work begins. Notary, court and registration fees are itemised in your quote; the paid-in capital stays yours.Starting points, confirmed first. Notary and court fees are itemised; paid-in capital stays yours.
What you can do
Popular uses for an Austrian company.
A GmbH may run almost any lawful business; regulated trades need a Gewerbe licence and financial services need FMA authorisation - we arrange both.Almost any lawful business; regulated trades need a Gewerbe licence, finance needs the FMA.
CEE headquarters
The classic Vienna play: one company running subsidiaries from Warsaw to Sofia under group taxation.
Holding structures
EU directives, 90+ treaties and participation exemptions for international groups.
R&D & engineering
The 14% research premium pays cash on qualifying spend. Profitable or not.
Trade & distribution
Vienna's logistics corridor into CEE plus the credibility of an Austrian invoice.
Professional services
Consulting, IT and engineering sold across DACH at Austrian standards.
Financial serviceslicensed
Payment institutions, investment firms and insurers under FMA licensing.
CEE headquarters
One Vienna company, many markets.
Holding structures
Directives, 90+ treaties.
R&D & engineering
14% premium, paid in cash.
Trade & distribution
The CEE logistics corridor.
Professional services
DACH-grade consulting & IT.
Financial serviceslicensed
FMA licensing.
Why Austria
Key advantages of the jurisdiction.
✓
The CEE gateway
No city concentrates regional headquarters, banks and know-how for Central-Eastern Europe like Vienna.Vienna runs the region.
✓
Group taxation
Consolidate results across the group. Including qualifying foreign subsidiaries' losses. In one Austrian return.Foreign losses count in Austria.
✓
14% R&D premium
A cash refund on research spend, independent of profitability. Rare in Europe.Cash, even in loss years.
✓
2024 company-law reform
GmbH capital halved to €10,000 and the FlexCo added modern governance for startups.€10k capital, FlexCo added.
✓
AA-rated stability
Euro, predictable courts, ninety-plus treaties. The premium flag premium partners expect.Euro, courts, 90+ treaties.
✓
Banking with reach
Erste, RBI and UniCredit Bank Austria bank the whole region from one relationship.One relationship, whole region.
How it compares
Austria next to the usual shortlist.
Germany runs heavier and dearer; Switzerland undercuts on rate outside the EU; Hungary's 9% wins any rate contest; Czechia is the budget neighbour. Austria sells the region, not the rate. Figures current as of 2026.Germany: heavier. Switzerland: cheaper rate, non-EU. Hungary: 9% wins rates. Austria sells the region, not the rate. Figures as of 2026.
| Country | Corporate tax | Dividends (ind.) | Signature edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 23% | 27.5% | CEE HQ · group taxation |
| Germany | ~30% combined | 26.4% | Scale, weight, cost |
| Switzerland | 12-21% cantonal | 35% WHT | Non-EU prestige |
| Czechia | 21% | 15% | Budget CEE base |
| Hungary | 9% | 15% | The EU's lowest rate |
AustriaCEE HQ
Corporate tax23%
Dividends27.5%
GermanyScale
Corporate tax~30%
Dividends26.4%
SwitzerlandPrestige
Corporate tax12-21%
Dividends35% WHT
CzechiaBudget
Corporate tax21%
Dividends15%
Hungary9%
Corporate tax9%
Dividends15%
Requirements
What Austrian law actually demands.
01
One shareholder - Individual or company, any nationality. 100% foreign ownership is standard.
02
Managing director - At least one Geschäftsführer; non-EU residents can serve, with practical notes we walk you through.
03
Capital - €10,000 - Since 2024: €10,000 minimum, at least €5,000 paid into the capital account before registration.
04
Notarised deed - The GmbH deed is notarial - by apostilled POA or Austria's digital notary procedure, no travel required.
05
Registered address - An Austrian seat for the commercial register - included in our package.
06
Accounts & filings - Double-entry books, annual statements filed with the register, German-language tax filings. Our accountants carry them.
How it works
From application to a live company in weeks.
Everything runs through our lawyers, the notary and the commercial register in Vienna - remotely by POA or digital notarisation in most cases.Deed by POA or digital notary, capital deposit, register entry. One to three predictable weeks.
01Same day
Free consultation
We confirm Austria fits your case. And say so plainly if Hungary or Czechia serves the goal better.
022-4 days
KYC & drafting
Passports, proof of address, structure decisions; we draft the articles.
033-7 days
Notary deed
Signed by apostilled POA or via the digital founding procedure.
042-5 days
Capital deposit
€5,000+ paid to the capital account; bank confirmation issued.
053-7 days
Register & tax
Commercial-register entry, tax number and VAT (UID).
061-2 weeks
Banking
The capital account converts to full corporate banking; cards and online access follow.
Quick facts
Legal formGmbH / FlexCo
Shareholders1+, any nationality
Corporate tax23%
Standard timeline1-3 weeks
Capital€10,000 - half paid
AccountingFull books - German
Renewal & accountingFrom €3,000/year
The capital-account step is the usual bottleneck. We sequence bank, notary and register so the weeks don't stack.
On the ground
On the ground in Austria.
Prifinance - Austria
Vienna
Vienna, Austria
01
DACH & CEE specialists
Your setup is run by a team registering companies across the German-speaking world and its eastern markets.
02
Notary & register handled
Deed, capital confirmation, Firmenbuch entry and tax numbers. Sequenced correctly the first time.
03
Accounting in German, reported in English
Local books and filings with reporting you can actually read.
04
Also in Tallinn, London, Dubai & more
A network of offices across Europe, the Gulf and the Americas. One team for your whole international structure.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
5/F, Yau Lee Centre, 45 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Berlin
Germany
Rankestraße 26
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Türkiye
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
Toronto
Canada
1110 Finch Avenue West, suite 406
Singapore
Singapore
3 Church Street, #29-68 Samsung Hub
Bangkok
Thailand
Unit P01, Penthouse, VASU1, 1 Sukhumvit 25 Alley
Foshan
China
A-Tower, Yuneng Digital Plaza, 46 Lishui Avenue South
Almaty
Kazakhstan
Republic Square 13
Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan
32 Razzakov Street
Taxation 2026
A premium system that pays you back.
Austria taxes company profits at 23% and distributions to individuals at 27.5%. Full stop, no offshore pretence. The return comes through the toolkit: group taxation that consolidates foreign losses, a 14% cash research premium, participation exemptions on qualifying holdings, and ninety-plus treaties that make cross-border flows predictable.23% on profits, 27.5% on distributions, and a toolkit that pays back: group taxation, 14% R&D cash, 90+ treaties.
Corporate tax - 23%
Flat on worldwide profits; the 2023-24 reform brought it down from 25%.Down from 25% since the reform.
Dividends - 27.5% KESt
For individuals; EU parent companies at 0% under the directive, treaties trim the rest.0% to qualifying EU parents.
Group taxation
Profits and losses consolidated across the group. Including qualifying foreign subsidiaries.Consolidate foreign losses.
R&D premium - 14%
Cash from the tax office on qualifying research spend, even in loss years.Paid even in loss years.
Levies in 2026
Corporate income tax23%
Dividends (individuals)27.5%
Dividends (EU parents)0%
VAT20%
R&D premium14% cash
Renewal & accountingFrom €3,000/year
Payroll carries real employer on-costs, around 30% above gross. We model total employment cost before you hire.
Your team
The specialists who'll handle your case.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
International Business Consultant
Guides clients from the first consultation to a working setup - companies, accounts and substance in 60+ jurisdictions.
Alex Danila
Corporate Services Specialist
Handles incorporation paperwork, KYC and bank introductions so your Austrian company launches without delays.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
Watch: opening a company in Austria with Prifinance
Vienna's gateway to half a continent: company, bank, group structure and R&D premium in one project. Full support, start to finish.
Talk to a specialist →FAQ
Austrian company registration, answered.
Can I open an Austrian company without visiting?+
Yes. The GmbH deed can be signed by apostilled power of attorney or through Austria's digital notary procedure by video; registrations and tax numbers follow remotely. Some banks prefer one meeting for the operating account, so we match you to those that don't, or compress it into a single visit.
How much does it cost?+
Turnkey registration starts from €3,900 including notary, court fees and the first-year address. With an Austrian bank account arranged, packages start from €6,500. The paid-in capital (from €5,000) stays the company's money. Renewals with accounting run from €3,000 a year.
What taxes will the company pay?+
23% on profits, 27.5% KESt when distributing to individuals (0% to qualifying EU parents), VAT at 20%. No local trade tax on top, unlike Germany. We model your effective burden, including the group-taxation and R&D options, before you commit.
GmbH or the new FlexCo?+
The GmbH is the standard the market knows. The FlexCo (since 2024) shares its tax treatment but adds startup-friendly mechanics: simpler share transfers, employee participation up to a quarter of capital, easier capital measures. Venture-bound startups take the FlexCo; everyone else usually stays GmbH. We advise per case.
How much capital do I really need?+
€10,000 minimum since 2024, of which at least €5,000 must actually be paid into an Austrian capital account before registration. It is not a fee. The money becomes the company's working capital the day the register entry appears.
What is Austrian group taxation worth?+
A lot, for groups. Austrian and qualifying foreign subsidiaries can consolidate results in one Austrian return, meaning a loss-making Polish or Czech subsidiary reduces Austrian tax today. It is the quiet reason so many CEE holdings sit in Vienna, and we structure eligibility from day one.
How does the 14% research premium work?+
Qualifying R&D spend (salaries, contractors, overheads) earns a 14% premium paid in cash by the tax office, whether or not the company is profitable. For engineering and software teams it materially cuts the real cost of building in Austria. We document and file the claims.
How is banking?+
First-rate and conservative: Erste, Raiffeisen, UniCredit Bank Austria, plus fintechs like Wise for the operating layer. The capital account opens as part of incorporation; full onboarding involves real KYC on owners and flows. One banking relationship in Vienna can cover subsidiaries across the region, worth planning deliberately.
What does hiring cost?+
Austrian gross salaries are Western-European, and employer on-costs add roughly 30% on top: social security, severance fund, municipal payroll levies. The 14% R&D premium and stable labour law offset part of it for technical teams. We model the full employment cost per role before you commit to headcount.
How long does it take?+
Plan one to three weeks: days for drafting and KYC, the notary deed by POA or video, the capital deposit, then the commercial-register entry and tax numbers. Banking for the operating account adds one to two weeks. Slower than an island, faster than Germany, and predictable throughout.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
“As a software development crew at FewMoreTaps OÜ, we've had the pleasure of working with Prifinance on some key financial moves.First of all, navigating the world of corporate banking and finance can be a maze, but Prifinance made it feel like a walk in the park. They helped us set up a corporate bank account without the hassle of jumping on a plane or drowning in paperwork. Everything was done remotely, smoothly…”
Google
“I had their assistance in company registration and I would recommend them. They were answering all my clarification during the process and offering all their supportThank you Daniel and Irinia”
Google
“We found PRIFINANCE COMPANYvia the Internet and asked for help in organizing the opening of their company in Estonia. PRIFINANCE COMPANY specialists helped us a lot with this. Their professional, competent approach and knowledge of their business left us with only the best impressions.”
Google
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Google
“Opening an account with Prifinance in a Swiss bank was such an easy and quick process that I was shocked. It all started with the first call, where I received detailed guidance on the required documents and the entire procedure.One of the key highlights was their attention to detail. As someone who usually gets tangled up in paperwork, I was pleasantly surprised when they sent me all the documents and…”
Google
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Boris.. and I must say, it was a fantastic experience. Boris went above and beyond to assist me with my residency needs. His professionalism, knowledge, and dedication truly stood out. I highly recommend working with Boris and the team!”
Google
More from Prifinance
Other jurisdictions & licenses.
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Start your Austrian company today.
Tell us about your business, and a specialist will reply within one business day with a recommendation (GmbH, FlexCo, or a different flag), a timeline and a fixed quote.An Austria specialist will reply within one business day with a recommendation, a timeline and a fixed quote.
✓No obligation; the first consultation is free✓A clear recommendation, not a sales pitch✓Transparent fixed fees, confirmed up front✓EN · RU · DE speaking team