Best Virtual Business Address for Startups (US + UK, 2026)

Short answer: For a US startup, pick Stable ($49/mo billed yearly) if you want a real street address, unlimited free scans and a registered agent in one place. Pick Anytime Mailbox (from US$9.99/mo) if you only need a cheap address that receives mail. For a UK limited company, use a provider that explicitly offers a Companies House registered office, such as Hoxton Mix (£24.99/mo monthly) or 1st Formations (£39 +VAT a year for official mail only).

Every price and rule below comes from the provider's or regulator's own page, checked on 12 Nov 2026. The opinions in between are ours and are marked.

TL;DR#

• Cheapest US street address: Anytime Mailbox, Claymont DE, US$9.99/mo or US$109.99/yr (Anytime Mailbox).
• Best all-in for a US startup: Stable, $49/mo billed yearly, free open and scan, registered agent at $25/mo per state (Stable pricing).
• US paperwork: every mailbox provider is a CMRA, so you file PS Form 1583 with two IDs, one with a photo (USPS).
• UK rule: no PO boxes for a registered office, and the address must be "appropriate" and in the same UK country as the company (GOV.UK).
• Limits: a virtual address will not get you a Google Business Profile, and some banks flag mailbox addresses.

Disclosure: ZeroRaised is a launch site for bootstrapped products. We have no commercial relationship with any provider in this post and earn nothing if you sign up. Facts come from the linked pages as checked on 12 Nov 2026. This is not legal or tax advice.

What a virtual business address is (and what it is not)#

Founders use the phrase for three different things, and mixing them up is how people get rejected by a bank or a state filing office.

1. Mailing or business address. A street address, usually with a suite or mailbox number, where a provider receives your post and scans it. This is what goes on your website footer, invoices, Stripe account and app listings.
2. Registered agent address (US). The address where the state and courts serve legal papers. Delaware's own page says a registered agent must "maintain a street address and office located in Delaware" and "be open during normal business hours for the purpose of accepting service of process" (Delaware Division of Corporations). It is a legal role, not just a mailbox.
3. Registered office (UK). The UK equivalent, recorded at Companies House and shown on the public register.

Our read: most solo founders need item 1 plus either item 2 or item 3. If you are still choosing an entity, read our LLC vs C-Corp guide for bootstrapped founders first, because the state you form in decides where your registered agent must be.

The US rules: CMRAs and PS Form 1583#

When a private company receives mail for you, USPS calls it a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency. USPS's FAQ says "A Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) is a private business that accepts mail from the Postal Service" for delivery to a private mailbox, and that "Customers apply for a PMB at a CMRA and will be required to fill out PS Form 1583." It adds: "Two forms of ID (one with a photo) are required when applying for a Private Mail Box" (USPS CMRA FAQ).

Mercury's guide to virtual offices says the form "must be notarized" (Mercury). Your provider will tell you which online notary route it accepts.

The same Mercury guide makes a point worth acting on: "Many traditional banks and some online banks will flag or reject addresses known to be CMRAs." It also recommends a suite-style format rather than "PMB" or "#" notation. Our read: you cannot hide what an address is, so do not try. Ask the bank what it accepts before you apply, and see our business bank account guide for how each bank handles founders without an office.

The UK rules: an "appropriate address"#

Companies House said that under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, "From 4 March 2024, there'll be new rules for registered office addresses which mean companies must have an 'appropriate address' as their registered office at all times" (Companies House blog). GOV.UK now says:

• "You can no longer use a Royal Mail PO Box as your registered office address." This "includes similar services from other companies."
• The address must be "in the same country your company is registered in", so a company registered in Scotland needs a Scottish registered office.
• "The address must also be 'appropriate'." That means someone acting for the company is made aware of post addressed to it, and the sender can get delivery confirmation.
• "If you use a service provider's address (for example, an accountant or solicitor) as your registered office address, this address must meet all of these requirements."
• If it does not, "Your company could be struck off the Companies House register."

Source: GOV.UK, company address rules.

So a UK virtual office is allowed, but pick one that says in plain words that it can be your registered office with Companies House. A mail-forwarding PO box is no longer enough.

The 8 providers compared#

All prices are the entry price shown on each provider's own page on 12 Nov 2026. Several prices vary by location; we name the location where that applies.

iPostal1, Northwest Registered Agent, Regus, Alliance Virtual Offices and Virtual Headquarters blocked our checks or showed no prices on 12 Nov 2026, so we left them out rather than guess.

Provider notes#

Anytime Mailbox: cheapest real street address#

Anytime Mailbox lists many independent locations, so prices vary. Its FAQ answers "Is this a PO Box?" with "No. These are actual street addresses" (How it works). The Claymont Bronze+ plan includes 30 incoming items, 10 pages of Open & Scan, 2 recipients and forwarding at US$4.00 per shipping bundle (Claymont location). Other Delaware locations start higher, for example US$11.99/mo in Dover (Delaware locations).

Our read: great for a side project or a pre-revenue LLC. Ten scanned pages a month is tight once tax notices and bank letters arrive.

Stable: best all-round US startup option#

Stable's Grow plan includes 360 pieces of mail a year (30 a month on monthly billing), free open and scan, and a "$3 overage charge per piece of mail" above the limit. The registered agent add-on requires a Stable plan. Stable also advertises 50% off Grow for businesses under $1 million in revenue or using the address to incorporate (Stable pricing).

Our read: the free scanning matters more than the headline price. A $10 plan with $2 scans can cost more than Stable once government and bank mail starts arriving.

The rest of the US field#

• PostScan Mail: extra scans cost "$2.00 per envelope for up to 10 pages, then $0.25 per additional page", so it suits founders whose mail is mostly junk (PostScan pricing).
• LegalZoom Virtual Mail: Earth Class Mail's pricing page now redirects here, and LegalZoom says "Earth Class Mail is now part of LegalZoom." Starter is $39/mo for 5 items, and extra items cost "$3 per item received" (LegalZoom).
• Davinci: "as affordable as $49 a month", with possible mail forwarding and "a one-time setup fee" depending on location (Davinci Virtual).
• Opus: "All-inclusive $99/Month" with a live receptionist and phone number, and its FAQ says the address "can be included on the Articles of Organization for LLC or entity registration" (Opus).

Hoxton Mix and 1st Formations (UK)#

Hoxton Mix scans mail "within one business day", charges no setup fees and runs rolling monthly contracts. It says you can "Use 66 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NA as your company's official registered office address with Companies House" (Hoxton Mix). The page does not say whether VAT is included.

1st Formations sells the pieces separately: registered office renewal at £39.00 +VAT, a director service address at £26.00 +VAT, and a London business address at £96.00 +VAT a year with mail scanned "at £0.50 per item" (1st Formations).

Our read: if you only need to keep your home off the register, 1st Formations' registered office plus service address is the cheapest compliant route. If customers and suppliers write to you, Hoxton Mix's included scanning is simpler.

Where a virtual address will not work#

Google Business Profile. Google's guidelines say "P.O. boxes or mailboxes located at remote locations aren't acceptable", that a business renting a mailing address it "doesn't operate out of" is not eligible, and that "Service-area businesses can't list a "virtual" office unless that office is staffed during business hours" (Google Business Profile guidelines). For an online SaaS this rarely matters; for a local service business it does.

App Store (EU trader details). Apple says the Digital Services Act requires it to "verify and display trader contact information", including "an address, phone number, and email address", on your App Store product page in the EU. Organizations display the address tied to their D-U-N-S Number; individuals enter an "Address or P.O. Box", and if you display an alternate address such as a P.O. Box you must provide documents showing your association with it (Apple Developer). Our read: this is one of the best reasons for an indie app developer to pay for an address before launch.

Banks. As above, some banks reject CMRA addresses. Use the virtual address as your mailing address and give the bank whatever physical address its rules ask for.

Decision table#

This is our editorial advice based on the prices and rules above.

Worked example: 12-month cost#

This is our arithmetic on the published prices, not a quote from any provider.

US solo founder, Delaware LLC, about 10 letters a month.

• Option A, Anytime Mailbox Claymont annual plan: US$109.99. Add a separate registered agent (not priced here).
• Option B, Stable Grow billed yearly: $49 x 12 = $588. Registered agent add-on: $25 x 12 = $300. Total $888. If you qualify for the advertised 50% off Grow, the Grow part would be $294, so $594 in total.

Option A is far cheaper on paper. Option B is one vendor for both the address and the agent, with unlimited scans. Our read: start with A if cash is tight, and switch once mail volume or compliance mail makes the 10-page scan limit a nuisance.

UK solo founder, Ltd in England.

• Option A, 1st Formations renewals: registered office £39 + service address £26 = £65 +VAT a year (official mail only).
• Option B, Hoxton Mix monthly: £24.99 x 12 = £299.88 a year (VAT treatment not stated).

Once the address is live, use its exact format on every filing, update Stripe, app store accounts and invoices, and get back to shipping. Our guide to launching a bootstrapped app covers what comes after the paperwork.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the cheapest virtual business address for a startup?#

In the US, Anytime Mailbox's Claymont, Delaware location starts at US$9.99/mo or US$109.99/yr, and PostScan Mail's Starter plan is advertised as low as $10/mo. In the UK, 1st Formations renews its London registered office service at £39 +VAT a year, which covers official mail only. The cheapest option rarely includes a registered agent or regular mail scanning, so price the full bundle you need.

Can I use a virtual address to register an LLC?#

Usually as the business or mailing address, but your registered agent address is a separate requirement. Delaware's registered agent page says an agent must maintain a street address and office located in Delaware and be open during normal business hours to accept service of process. Many virtual address providers sell registered agent service as an add-on, such as Stable at $25/mo per state.

Can a UK limited company use a virtual office as its registered office?#

Yes, if the address meets the Companies House rules. It must be in the same UK country your company is registered in, it cannot be a Royal Mail PO Box or a similar service, and it must be "appropriate", meaning someone acting for the company is made aware of post and the sender can get delivery confirmation. Hoxton Mix, for example, says its 66 Paul Street address can be used as a registered office with Companies House.

Will a bank accept a virtual business address?#

It depends on the bank. Mercury's own guide to virtual offices says many traditional banks and some online banks will flag or reject addresses known to be CMRAs. Check the bank's help center before you apply, and keep your residential address ready as the physical address if the bank asks for one.

Can I use a virtual office for my Google Business Profile?#

Generally no. Google's guidelines say that if your business rents a physical mailing address but doesn't operate from that location, the location isn't eligible for a Business Profile, and that service-area businesses can't list a virtual office unless it is staffed during business hours.

Launch with your new address#

Once your company has an address it can publish, submit your product to ZeroRaised for free and launch alongside other products built without VC. For more company setup guides for bootstrapped founders, join the ZeroRaised newsletter.

Sources#

• Anytime Mailbox, Claymont DE location, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Anytime Mailbox, Delaware locations, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Anytime Mailbox, how it works, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Stable pricing, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• PostScan Mail pricing, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• LegalZoom Virtual Mail (formerly Earth Class Mail), last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Davinci Virtual, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Opus Virtual Offices services and FAQ, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Hoxton Mix virtual office London, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• 1st Formations, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• USPS FAQ: Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Delaware Division of Corporations: registered agents, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Companies House blog: Get ready for changes to UK company law, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• GOV.UK: rules for registered office addresses, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Mercury: Should my online business use a virtual office?, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Google Business Profile guidelines, last checked 12 Nov 2026
• Apple Developer: EU Digital Services Act trader requirements, last checked 12 Nov 2026