The best Xolo alternatives for solopreneurs (2026)

Xolo is the default many borderless solopreneurs reach for: an Estonian e-residency company plus accounting, run in English from one app. It’s genuinely good — but it isn’t the only option, and it isn’t the right one for everyone. Maybe you want a cheaper bundle, just the company without the subscription, no Estonian company at all, or a US entity instead. Here are the real Xolo alternatives, sorted by what you actually need — not a generic list.

Not legal or tax advice. Providers, features and pricing change — confirm current details on each vendor’s page before deciding.

First: what is Xolo actually replacing for you?

Xolo bundles two things — company formation and ongoing accounting/VAT/filings — for an Estonian e-resident, in English. The right alternative depends on which of those you need:

Want both, just different/cheaper → 1Office or Companio.
Want only the company (DIY or own accountant) → a pure formation service.
Don’t need an Estonian company at all → a local sole-trader setup.
Want a US entity instead → Firstbase or doola.
Want only the accounting → an accounting tool.

1. 1Office — the established corporate-services alternative

1Office

4.2/5

Best for: Fuller corporate-services partner (formation + accounting + address) Formation + accounting plans

1Office forms and runs Estonian companies for e-residents with English accounting — the same core job as Xolo — but as part of a broader corporate-services firm (formation, accounting, legal address, virtual office) that also serves larger companies. That can mean more hands-on, human service.

Best for: a solo who wants a fuller corporate-services partner rather than a self-serve app. Trade-off: less solo-tuned than Xolo’s one-person-business product; compare current pricing.

See 1Office

2. Companio — the founder-friendly, often-cheaper bundle

Companio

4.1/5

Best for: Cheaper e-residency company + accounting bundle Monthly plans

Companio offers the same e-residency-company-plus-accounting bundle in English, frequently positioned on price and founder-friendliness for small, borderless one-person businesses.

Best for: a solo who wants the Xolo model at a keener price point. Trade-off: smaller than the incumbents; verify exactly what’s included at each tier.

See Companio

3. Just the company — a pure formation service

If you’re happy to do your own books (or already have an accountant), you don’t need the bundle — form the company and run the accounting separately, which is often cheaper. The honest comparison of formation options is in the best company-formation services for EU solopreneurs, and the structure decision behind it is sole trader vs OÜ vs freelance.

4. No Estonian company at all — go local

The quiet truth: many solos reach for Xolo without needing an Estonian company in the first place. If you live and are taxed in one country, a local sole-trader/freelancer setup is usually simpler and cheaper — see whether e-Residency is even worth it for you, then the local route in your country’s guide (e.g. Germany, France, Italy, Spain). For the books, the accounting & bookkeeping software roundup.

5. A US entity instead — Firstbase or doola

If your customers, payment rails or banking point at the US rather than the EU, the real alternative isn’t another Estonian provider — it’s a US LLC.

Firstbase

4.3/5

Best for: US LLC formation for non-residents Formation + registered agent

Forms and maintains a US LLC for non-residents (EIN, registered agent, compliance), the US-side mirror of what Xolo does for Estonia.

See Firstbase

doola

4.1/5

Best for: US LLC + bookkeeping for non-residents Formation + bookkeeping add-ons

Similar US-LLC formation with bookkeeping add-ons. Weigh the US route against staying EU in US LLC vs your home country before committing.

See doola

At a glance

Alternative	What it is	Best for
Xolo (incumbent)	EE e-residency company + accounting, solo-tuned app	The default borderless solo
1Office	EE company + accounting, fuller corporate services	Wanting a hands-on partner
Companio	EE company + accounting, keener price	Same model, cheaper
Pure formation	Company only, you do the books	DIY / have an accountant
Local sole trader	No EE company at all	Taxed in one country, simple
Firstbase / doola	US LLC for non-residents	US-facing business

How to choose

Same as Xolo, different provider → 1Office (more service) or Companio (cheaper).
Only need the company → a formation service.
Don’t need an EE company → go local; read is e-Residency worth it first.
US-facing → Firstbase / doola.
Only the accounting → the accounting & bookkeeping roundup.

The honest takeaway: Xolo is excellent for the borderless solo who wants company and accounting handled in one English app — and the best “alternative” is often realising you need less than the full bundle. Start from what you actually need, and compare current pricing before you commit. The deep-dive on Xolo itself is in the Xolo review.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Xolo?

It depends on what you use Xolo for. If you want the same thing — an Estonian e-residency company with accounting handled in English — the closest direct alternatives are 1Office and Companio. If you only need the company formed and will bring your own accountant, a pure company-formation service is cheaper. If you do not actually need an Estonian company (you are happy as a local sole trader), a local accounting setup beats any of them. And if your customers and banking point at the US rather than the EU, a US LLC via Firstbase or doola is the real alternative. There is no single "best" — match the tool to whether you need a company, accounting, or both, and in which jurisdiction.

Xolo vs 1Office — which is better?

Both form and run an Estonian company for e-residents with accounting in English, so they compete directly. Xolo leans hardest into the *solo* case — its Leap and Go products are built around one-person businesses and freelancers, with a very streamlined app. 1Office is a broader corporate-services firm (formation, accounting, legal address, virtual office) that also serves larger companies, which can mean more hands-on service but a less solo-tuned product. For a pure one-person business, Xolo is usually the more focused fit; 1Office appeals if you want a fuller corporate-services partner. Compare current pricing on each — it shifts.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Xolo?

Often, yes — but compare like for like. Companio frequently positions on price for e-residency companies with accounting, and a pure formation service plus your own local accountant can be cheaper than a bundled subscription if your bookkeeping is simple. The catch is that "cheaper" usually means you take on more of the admin yourself; Xolo's price includes an accountant doing the work. The real question is not the sticker price but price *per hour of admin you avoid* — at low volume a cheaper unbundled setup can win, at higher volume a bundled one often does.

Do I need Xolo, or can I just form a company myself?

You can form an Estonian (or other EU) company through a pure formation service and handle the rest yourself — Xolo's value is bundling the company *and* the ongoing accounting, VAT and filings in one English-language place. If you are comfortable doing your own books or already have an accountant, a formation service plus accounting software may be cheaper and just as good. If you want the admin to simply not be your problem, the bundled model (Xolo, 1Office, Companio) is what you are paying for. Decide by how much of the ongoing admin you want to own.

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