Free Company Formation: How Fasoon & IFJ Partner Deals Work

“Form your company for CHF 0” – you’ll read this promise at Fasoon, IFJ and other formation portals. And it’s actually true: the portal’s service fee can be waived entirely. But of course, nobody works for free. In this article you’ll learn how the business model behind free formation works, what you have to provide in return, and when the deal is worth it for you – and when it isn’t.

The business model: who really pays for your formation?

Formation portals like Fasoon and IFJ are financed by partner companies. The principle is simple: for certain industries, new founders are the most valuable customers of all. Anyone starting a company almost inevitably needs, in the first weeks:

• a business account at a bank
• insurance (BVG occupational pension, accident insurance, business liability)
• a telecom provider for the business
• business software for accounting and administration

This is exactly where the partners come in. Insurers like Baloise, banks like PostFinance or various cantonal banks, telecom providers like Swisscom or Sunrise, and software providers like Swiss21 pay the formation portal an amount per new founder referred. This amount covers the service fee you would otherwise pay – typically CHF 490 to 999 for a GmbH (Swiss LLC) or AG (Swiss stock corporation) formation.

For the partners, this is classic customer acquisition: instead of expensive advertising, they reach you at exactly the moment you need their products anyway.

The quid pro quo: what you specifically have to do

Free doesn’t mean unconditional. Depending on the portal and package, you commit to one or more of these obligations:

Obligation	What it means in practice	Time required
Insurance advisory meeting	Mandatory appointment with the insurance partner (e.g. Baloise), by phone or in person	approx. 30–60 minutes
Account at partner bank	Open a business account or capital deposit account at the partner bank (e.g. PostFinance, cantonal bank)	approx. 30 minutes plus identification
Review telecom offer	Receive a quote from Swisscom or Sunrise, or listen to a consultation	approx. 15–30 minutes
Software offer	Create an account with a partner like Swiss21 or watch a demo	approx. 15 minutes

The most important point here: there is no obligation to sign at the advisory meeting. You must attend the appointment – that’s the condition – but you don’t have to take out any insurance if the offer doesn’t appeal to you. Reputable portals communicate this clearly too. The bank account is different: here, opening the account itself is usually the condition. Since you need a business account anyway and an account can usually be closed for free or cheaply, this is not a real hurdle for most founders.

Expect 1 to 2 hours of additional time in total for the partner appointments.

What you always pay yourself anyway

A common misunderstanding: “free” refers only to the portal’s service. You always bear the external costs of formation yourself – with every provider, whether free or paid:

• Commercial register fee: approx. CHF 120 (sole proprietorship) to CHF 600 (AG), depending on legal form and canton. You’ll find details in the article Commercial register entry: costs and process.
• Capital deposit account: approx. CHF 200–300 fee, depending on the bank – though this exact fee is waived in some partner deals. More on this in the article Paying in share capital.
• The capital itself: CHF 20’000 for the GmbH, at least CHF 50’000 paid in for the AG. This is not a fee, though – the money belongs to your company afterwards.

When is the free formation worth it?

The free option is the rationally best choice for many founders – but not for all.

The free formation is worth it if …

• you don’t yet have a business bank and have to open an account anyway
• you don’t yet have company insurance and want advice anyway (you’ll need BVG and accident insurance with employees regardless)
• saving CHF 490–999 matters more to you than 1–2 hours of time
• you’re open to the partner offers and want to compare them without obligation

The paid formation is worth it if …

• you already have a main bank you want to stay with and don’t want a second account
• you already have an insurance broker and don’t want additional advisory meetings
• your hourly rate is high and you consider the appointments more expensive than the fee
• you want to keep maximum independence in your choice of bank and insurer

In that case you pay CHF 490 to 999 in service fees depending on the provider and are free of all conditions. Our provider comparison calculator shows you in two minutes which provider and which model suits you best.

Transparency checklist: what to check before booking

Before you book a free package, it’s best to clarify these points – ideally everything is stated in writing on the portal’s website:

1. Which partner conditions apply exactly? (Only an advisory meeting? Account opening mandatory? Both?)
2. What happens if I don’t meet a condition? (Does the full service fee become due retroactively?)
3. Is there an obligation to sign at the insurance meeting? (Should be clearly denied.)
4. Which external costs are added? (Commercial register, notary, capital deposit account – a reputable portal lists them transparently.)
5. Is the notary included? (Relevant for GmbH/AG – some providers charge it separately at approx. CHF 600.)
6. How is my data passed on to partners? (Check the privacy policy: which partners receive which data?)
7. Can I select or deselect partners? (Some portals let you choose, e.g. which bank.)

If a portal gives no clear answer to any of these questions, that’s a warning sign.

Worked example: free vs. paid for a GmbH formation

Cost item	Free package (with partner deal)	Paid package
Portal service fee	CHF 0	CHF 490–999
Notary (GmbH)	usually included	included or ~CHF 600 separately
Commercial register	~CHF 450 (varies by canton)	~CHF 450 (varies by canton)
Capital deposit account	often waived (partner bank)	CHF 200–300
Time for partner appointments	1–2 hours	none
Total out-of-pocket	from ~CHF 450	from ~CHF 1’140

The difference of several hundred francs is real – the only question is whether the obligations are worth that amount to you. You’ll find a detailed breakdown of all GmbH costs in the article Forming a GmbH: costs.

Conclusion: a fair deal – if you know what you’re getting into

The partner model is not a hidden trick but a transparent trade: you give 1–2 hours of time and openness to partner offers, and in return you save CHF 490 to 999. For founders without existing banking and insurance relationships, it’s almost always a good deal – you need these products anyway. If, on the other hand, you’re already covered and want your peace, you’ll be more comfortable with the paid option.

Just one thing matters: read the conditions before booking, go through the transparency checklist and compare the providers. Our provider comparison calculator helps you find the right model for your situation – and you’ll find a detailed comparison of the three big portals in Fasoon vs. IFJ vs. Startups.ch.