In short: an Estonian private limited company (OÜ) and a Finnish osakeyhtiö (Oy) are both limited-liability companies that one person can own. They differ in how the company is founded, in how a share changes hands and in when the company's profit is taxed. This page sets the facts of both side by side from the official texts; it does not say which is better for you.

The facts side by side

The company and its owners: Estonian OÜ: One founder with one share is a valid company (Commercial Code § 148(1)); a shareholder is not personally liable for the company's obligations (§ 135(2), (3)); Finnish Oy: A legal person separate from its shareholders that comes into being by registration; the shareholders are not personally liable for the company's obligations (Limited Liability Companies Act, chapter 1, section 2)
Founding: Estonian OÜ: At a notary in Tallinn or by power of attorney; online without a notary for a founder with an e-residency card or Estonian ID card; Finnish Oy: A written memorandum of association signed by all shareholders (chapter 2, section 1)
Register: Estonian OÜ: Commercial register (e-Business Register); Finnish Oy: The company must be filed for registration within three months of signing the memorandum, or the formation lapses; registration is governed by the Trade Register Act (chapter 2, section 8)
Minimum capital: Estonian OÜ: Share capital in euros (Commercial Code § 136); the smallest share has a nominal value of one cent (§ 148(1)); Finnish Oy: The Act sets a minimum share capital of 80 000 euro for a public company (chapter 1, section 3); the section names no figure for a private company
Transfer of a share: Estonian OÜ: Notarised; the notary sends the notice to the register within two days (Commercial Code § 149); Finnish Oy: A share may be transferred and acquired without restriction unless the articles of association provide otherwise (chapter 1, section 4)
Yearly filing: Estonian OÜ: Annual report within six months after the end of the financial year (Commercial Code § 179); Finnish Oy: Not covered by the official texts used here
How company profit is taxed: Estonian OÜ: Corporate income tax is paid when profit is distributed; no income tax is paid on profit while it stays in the company — see how Estonia taxes company profit; Finnish Oy: The income tax rate of a corporate body is 20 percent of its taxable income (Income Tax Act, section 124(2))
VAT number: Estonian OÜ: An Estonian VAT number is an EU VAT number that customers can check in VIES; Finnish Oy: Finland is a member state of the European Union

This is general information, not tax advice: in Estonia the tax becomes due when profit is distributed, and LexorCorp Global does not provide tax advice. The rule and its official sources are in the guide How Estonia taxes company profit.

What each route requires

Estonia. Customer due diligence by the service provider, a registered address in the commercial register and, if the company's address is abroad, a contact person in Estonia (Commercial Register Act § 24). A ready-made company or a formation at a notary needs no e-residency.
Finland. A written memorandum of association signed by all shareholders and the filing for registration within three months (Limited Liability Companies Act, chapter 2, sections 1 and 8).

How an Estonian company is obtained

Choose the route: a ready-made company that already exists, a new company formed at a notary or by power of attorney, or online formation with an e-residency card.
Order online and pay by card; the order form shows the total before you pay.
Identification. As a provider licensed by the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU000117) we identify every client first.
Signing at a notary in Tallinn, by a power of attorney signed in your country, or digitally on the online route.
Register entry and documents in PDF by email.

Documents

For an Estonian company you are asked for an identity document and proof of address of the board members and beneficial owners; on the remote route a power of attorney signed before a notary in your country, as a rule with an apostille.

Prices of the Estonian routes

ready-made company: €900 Registered address and contact person service for one year are included. in person, €1,200 remote; with a VAT number €1,150 and €1,450;
new company: €950 Registered address and contact person service for one year are included. in person, €1,250 remote;
online formation for an e-resident: €950 Registered address and contact person service for one year are included..

The Estonian notary fees and state fees, the registered address and the contact person for the first 12 months are included in these prices. We do not form Finnish companies, and this page states no Finnish register fee.

Timeline

In Finland the company must be filed for registration within three months of signing the memorandum (chapter 2, section 8); how long the entry itself takes is not stated in the texts used here. For Estonia this page states no number of days: the time depends on the notary's appointment, on customer due diligence and on the register. A ready-made company already exists, so only the transfer has to be done.

Limits of this comparison

It compares founding, capital, share transfer and the company's own tax rate, not the tax result for you: where a company is taxed depends on where it is managed and where its owner lives. If you will run an Estonian company from Finland, see Estonian company run from Finland.
Opening a bank or payment account is decided by the bank or payment institution in both countries.
The Finnish figures are those of the consolidated texts on the day they were read (22 October 2026) and can change.

Related service

If the Estonian route fits, start with the ready-made company packages or the list of companies for sale; ready-made or new compares the two Estonian routes.

Official sources

Finland: Osakeyhtiölaki (624/2006), chapter 1 sections 2, 3 and 4, chapter 2 sections 1 and 8; Tuloverolaki (1535/1992), section 124 — Finlex (Ministry of Justice), consolidated texts read on 22 October 2026;
Estonia: Commercial Code §§ 135, 136, 148, 149 and 179, Commercial Register Act § 24 — Riigi Teataja; company data — e-Business Register.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice for your specific situation.

Sources are named in the text, without links. To see which of our services your company needs, open the Business Navigator.

Estonian company (OÜ) or Finnish Oy: the official facts compared