The #1 alternative
Commenda vs TMF Group vs House of Companies
Belgium requires an active local director, and nominees are prohibited. All three help you in. The cost comes after.
Comparison at a glance
TMF Group services a Belgium entity with local people; House of Companies opens a lower-cost route into the EU. Commenda runs four suites across 70+ countries, so one platform takes you from your Belgium entity to a full multi-country group.
Commenda
Global entity management with complete compliance. Sets up your Belgium SRL/BV (notarial deed, BCE/KBO, Belgian VAT, UBO, financial plan, registered office) and runs it alongside entities in 70+ countries, with consolidation and transfer pricing.
TMF Group
Global corporate service provider with 125+ offices in 87 jurisdictions. TMF Belgium handles incorporation by notarial deed, secretarial, accounting and tax, HR and payroll, and filings with the National Bank of Belgium. Quote-based.
House of Companies
EU online business-setup platform (eBranch). Branch registration, VAT application and filing, and a virtual office with mail forwarding. Membership from EUR 295/year. Good for lower-cost market entry, often via a branch.
Feature comparison
Why we do it better
 | TMF Group | House of Companies | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (incorporation) | $3,700 | Quote-based | from EUR 295/yr |
| Notarial deed + BCE/KBO filing | Branch-focused | ||
| Belgian VAT (BTW/TVA) registration | |||
| UBO register declaration | Model-specific | ||
| Certified financial plan | Model-specific | ||
| Registered office (genuine premises) | Virtual office | ||
| Active resident director (not nominee) | Guidance + setup | Resident director | Model-specific |
| Belgian bank account (in-person) | Model-specific | ||
| EU-wide VAT & OSS registration | Model-specific | Model-specific | |
| Ongoing accounting & Corporate Tax | Model-specific | ||
| Transfer pricing (cross-border + CbCR) | Model-specific | ||
| Multi-entity consolidation / audit trail | Model-specific | ||
| Manage entities in other countries | |||
| 100+ ERP integration support | |||
| Jurisdiction reach | Global, 70+ | Multi-country, 87 | EU (rollout) |
Built for different buyers
Pricing compared
Advertised rates as of June 2026. Competitor pricing changes often.
Commenda
$3,700one-time, Bronze package
- Drafting, BCE/KBO filing & publication, Belgian VAT, UBO declaration, certified financial plan, compliance binder
- Modular: EU VAT & OSS $630, worldwide VAT $1,260, Regus office $385-480/mo, accounting from $500/mo
- Higher tiers Silver $7,420, Gold $11,120, Platinum $14,850; customers typically retire 3 to 5 vendors
TMF Group
Quoteno public Belgium price
- Incorporation by notarial deed, corporate secretarial, accounting and tax, HR and payroll
- Financial statements filed with the National Bank of Belgium in Belgian GAAP, US GAAP, or IFRS, across 87 jurisdictions
House of Companies
EUR 295from, per year (membership)
- eBranch platform: branch registration, VAT application and filing, virtual office, AI mail forwarding
- Oriented to branch registration and EU market entry rather than a full notarial Belgian SRL/BV
How each model works
What's the difference?
How TMF Group and House of Companies stack up against Commenda for entity management in Belgium.
Commenda: Belgium managed as part of your global group
- Sets up the SRL/BV (notarial deed, BCE/KBO, Belgian VAT, UBO, certified financial plan, registered office, bank coordination)
- Guides the active resident director with a real operator, no nominee shortcuts
- Then runs accounting, Corporate Tax, VAT/OSS, and transfer pricing, consolidated across 70+ countries
TMF Group: Belgium entity serviced by a global provider
- Incorporation by notarial deed, secretarial, accounting, tax, and payroll in Belgium
- Financial statements filed with the National Bank of Belgium
- Quote-based per service line; software-led consolidation and transfer pricing are not the platform
House of Companies: lower-cost EU market entry, often via a branch
- Branch registration, VAT application and filing, virtual office
- Membership from EUR 295/year
- No transfer pricing or multi-entity consolidation across a wider group
Making a decision
Which one should you choose?
The right fit depends on your footprint and stage in Belgium.
Choose Commenda if…
- You operate in Belgium and at least one other country
- You want Belgium managed alongside the rest of your group, with consolidation
- You want the notarial deed, Belgian VAT, UBO, accounting, and transfer pricing in one place
- You want the resident director done right, with a real operator, not a prohibited nominee
Choose TMF Group if…
- You want a Belgium entity serviced locally by an established provider across many countries
- You are comfortable with quote-based, per-service-line pricing
Choose House of Companies if…
- You want a lower-cost EU market entry, often through a branch rather than a full SRL/BV
- A membership-priced online platform for branch registration and VAT fits your stage
Common questions
A foreigner can own a Belgium SRL/BV with no residency requirement for shareholders. But Belgium requires at least one active local director who genuinely manages the company, is compensated, and holds real authority. Nominee and passive directors are strictly prohibited. Commenda sets up the entity and helps you put a compliant active director in place with a real operator.
No. Belgium prohibits nominee and passive directors, and attempts to use them have led to VAT number suspensions and penalties. Commenda will not set up arrangements that put your VAT number and the whole entity at risk. The director must genuinely participate in management.
A branch is an extension of your foreign company operating in Belgium; an SRL/BV is a separate Belgian legal entity with limited liability. House of Companies is oriented to branch registration and VAT. Commenda incorporates a full SRL/BV by notarial deed, with the certified financial plan, registered office, and active resident director that a Belgian entity requires.
$3,700 for the Bronze formation package: drafting, BCE/KBO filing and publication, Belgian VAT registration, UBO declaration, certified financial plan, and a compliance binder. Higher tiers (Silver $7,420, Gold $11,120, Platinum $14,850) bundle banking, payroll, and EU-wide VAT.
Yes to both. The registered office must be genuine premises, not a mailbox, or it fails notary and bank checks. Commenda provides a compliant Regus registered office from $385/month. The Belgian bank account must be opened in person; Commenda coordinates the appointment and documentation.
About two to four weeks to VAT-active: KYC screening, the notarial deed, BCE/KBO number issuance, and VAT activation, with bank account opening running in parallel.
100 questions, from real customer calls.
The questions finance teams actually ask about entity management: EINs for non-residents, Delaware vs Wyoming, cleaning up the entities a previous provider left behind, and more. If you're looking for something, you'll find it here.
