DormantFile vs 1st Formations
1st Formations is a formations giant, and their dormant company accounts service reflects that heritage: you email back a questionnaire and they file the paper-style AA02 within a few working days — Companies House only, dormant-only, and telling HMRC remains your job. It's a hands-off model at a formations-agent price. We're the self-serve opposite: both filings, done by you in minutes with everything pre-filled from the register, previewed before anything is sent, and watched all year.
| What you get | DormantFile | 1st Formations |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts to Companies House | Yes | Dormant AA02 only |
| CT600 to HMRC | Yes | You notify HMRC yourself |
| Micro-entity (FRS 105) | Yes | No |
| How you file | Direct, self-serve — both sides in one flow, plus free deadline watchdog, hijack alerts and optional autopilot | Email a questionnaire back, filed within 3 working days |
| Price | from £19/yr (total, no VAT) | £49.99/yr (ex VAT) |
Prices and features as published by each provider and verified in August 2026 — please check 1st Formations for the latest, as these change. DormantFile isn’t VAT registered, so our price is the total you pay; competitor prices are shown as published, excluding VAT where stated. See the full comparison table.
Which should you use?
Choose 1st Formations if…
- You formed your company with them, already live in their dashboard, and would rather answer a questionnaire than click through a filing yourself.
- Your company qualifies for the simple dormant accounts form and you don't mind handling HMRC separately.
Choose DormantFile if…
- You want the HMRC side handled too — the nil CT600 goes in the same flow as your accounts, not onto your to-do list.
- Your company has traded before or holds a Bounce Back Loan, so the simple dormant form doesn't apply and you need micro-entity accounts — their dormant service can't file those.
- You want it done now, not in a few working days — and watched afterwards, with deadline reminders and daily hijack alerts included.
Questions, answered
- Does 1st Formations deal with HMRC for a dormant company?
- Their dormant accounts service covers the Companies House filing; notifying HMRC and any Corporation Tax return stays with you. DormantFile files the nil CT600 to HMRC as part of the same annual ritual.
- What if my company doesn't qualify for the simple dormant accounts form?
- Companies that have traded in the past, or that hold a loan such as a Bounce Back Loan, generally can't use the simple form. DormantFile files full dormant accounts or FRS 105 micro-entity accounts as appropriate — we work out which applies from your answers and your Companies House record.
What you’d actually be using
A company’s overview page — the real screen, not a mock-up. Click to enlarge.
Ready to file your dormant or non-trading company returns?
Set up in minutes. File in about two. Done for the year.
Get started →Not ready to file? Get the free deadline watchdog — Companies House deadline reminders and strike-off alerts, no card needed.