Fasoon vs. IFJ vs. Startups.ch: The Big Provider Comparison 2026

Fasoon, IFJ and Startups.ch – you can’t get around these three names if you want to form a company online in Switzerland. All three guide you from the formation documents to the commercial register entry, but they differ significantly in price, business model, advice and additional services. This comparison shows you which portal fits which type of founder.

The three providers in brief

Fasoon: the fastest, fully digital provider

Fasoon has consistently digitalized the formation process: everything runs online, without paperwork and without appointments at the notary – for the GmbH (Swiss LLC) and AG (Swiss stock corporation), notarization is included in the price. The pricing model is simple: the sole proprietorship is always free, no strings attached. For the GmbH and AG, the service fee is CHF 0 if you use the partner deal (an advisory meeting with the insurance partner plus an account at the partner bank) – without the deal you pay CHF 490. You can read exactly how this partner model works in the article Free company formation: how partner deals work.

IFJ: the largest course offering and network

IFJ (Institut für Jungunternehmen) has been the institution of the Swiss founder scene for decades. Beyond the formation itself, it offers the largest range of courses, events and intensive seminars for young entrepreneurs – much of it free. Formation is free thanks to partners like PostFinance and Swisscom; without a partner deal, the sole proprietorship costs CHF 200, the GmbH and AG CHF 500 each. A plus point: personal advice is available at IFJ – you don’t have to decide everything alone at your screen.

Startups.ch: the most experience and the broadest offering

With over 30’000 formations completed, Startups.ch has the most experience of the three providers. The sole proprietorship starts at CHF 99, the GmbH at CHF 490 – however, the notarization is charged separately at around CHF 600, which noticeably increases the total price for the GmbH and AG. In return, Startups.ch offers personal advice at several locations in Switzerland and the broadest range of extras: trademark registration, domicile address, fiduciary services, legal advice and more – convenient if you want everything from a single source.

The big comparison table

Criterion	Fasoon	IFJ	Startups.ch
Sole proprietorship	always free	free with partners, otherwise CHF 200	from CHF 99
GmbH (service fee)	CHF 0 with partner deal, otherwise CHF 490	free with partners, otherwise CHF 500	from CHF 490
AG (service fee)	CHF 0 with partner deal, otherwise CHF 490	free with partners, otherwise CHF 500	from CHF 490
Notary (GmbH/AG)	included	depends on package	separate, ~CHF 600
Process	fully online, fastest provider	online, personal advice available	online + advice at locations
Partner model	insurance + bank	PostFinance, Swisscom and others	some partner offers
On-site advice	no (digital)	yes	yes, several locations
Courses & events	limited	largest offering in Switzerland	available
Extras	focus on formation	network, courses, tools	trademark, domicile, fiduciary and much more
Experience	younger, digital provider	decades of founder support	over 30’000 formations

Don’t forget: with all three providers, the external costs come on top – the commercial register fee (varies by canton) and, for the GmbH/AG, the capital deposit account with a fee of approx. CHF 200–300, which is waived depending on the partner bank.

Price comparison in practice: what does the GmbH really cost?

Let’s run through the example of a GmbH formation (service fee plus notary, excluding the cantonal commercial register fee):

• Fasoon with partner deal: CHF 0 – notary included
• Fasoon without deal: CHF 490 – notary included
• IFJ with partners: CHF 0
• IFJ without partners: CHF 500
• Startups.ch: from CHF 490 + ~CHF 600 notary = from ~CHF 1’090

On paper, Startups.ch is thus the most expensive for the GmbH and AG. To be fair, though: you’re paying there for personal advice at a location and the most experience in the market. If you have more complex questions – say, multiple shareholders, contributions in kind or a holding structure – you can benefit from that setup.

For the sole proprietorship, the picture flips: here Fasoon is unconditionally free, IFJ with partners likewise, and Startups.ch charges from CHF 99 – for a legal form that requires hardly any formalities anyway (see Starting a sole proprietorship: guide).

Which provider fits which type of founder?

You want it fast, digital and cheap: Fasoon

If you make your own decisions, don’t need on-site advisory appointments and simply want to get to a registered company as quickly and cheaply as possible, Fasoon is the obvious choice. The fully digital process with the notary included is the fastest route to a GmbH or AG – and with the partner deal, the service costs you nothing.

You want to learn, make contacts and be guided: IFJ

Founding for the first time and want not just a company, but also to learn the craft of entrepreneurship? Then IFJ is strong: free courses, events, a huge network and personal advice. The formation itself is also free with the partners PostFinance and Swisscom.

You want personal advice and everything from one source: Startups.ch

If a personal conversation at a location matters to you, your case is more complex, or you want to book trademark protection, a domicile address or fiduciary services right away, Startups.ch plays to its strengths. Over 30’000 formations speak for routine even in special cases – in return, you pay more overall for the GmbH and AG because of the separate notary.

Conclusion: there is no best provider – only the best one for you

All three portals are reputable and will reliably get you to a registered company. The decision comes down to your priorities:

• Price and speed → Fasoon
• Knowledge and network → IFJ
• Advice and additional services → Startups.ch

And remember: with the free models, you trade the service fee for partner appointments – whether that’s worth it for you depends on whether you need a new bank and insurance anyway. If you’re unsure which provider and which model fit your situation, answer the few questions in our provider comparison calculator – it gives you a personal recommendation in two minutes. You’ll also find a full tabular overview of all providers on our comparison page.