Germany AG vs GmbH

Germany AG vs GmbH

Legal Entity Comparison

Time of Update: 2026-03-31
AG is a legal entity in Germany, the full name of which is Aktiengesellschaft, abbreviated as AG. It is a type of company with merged ownership, meaning that its ownership belongs to all shareholders. AG is a limited liability company, which means that the liability of shareholders is limited to their capital contribution. AG can participate in the market publicly, with no restrictions on shareholders' requirements, allowing anyone to become a shareholder. There is a requirement for at least one director, but typically multiple directors are involved in managing the company's daily operations. Unlike companies in other countries, AG in Germany can have foreign individuals as directors and does not require the appointment of local individuals as directors. However, AG still needs at least one director to act as the legal representative. Additionally, AG also requires at least three supervisory board members to oversee the decisions of the board of directors. The minimum registered capital for AG is 50,000 euros, and there is no need for capital verification, meaning that there is no requirement to provide proof of funds to register the company. Overall, AG is a flexible company structure suitable for enterprises seeking public participation in the market.

Germany Legal Entity Comparison

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Germany Legal Entity Comparison

Basic Information

AG
GmbH
Ownership:
Consolidated Ownership
Ownership:
Consolidated Ownership
Limited Liability:
Positive
Limited Liability:
Positive
Publicly Participates In Capital Market:
Positive
Publicly Participates In Capital Market:
Negative

Shareholder / Director / Secretary Requirements

AG
GmbH
Requirements For Shareholders:
Unrestricted
Requirements For Shareholders:
At least one shareholder
Requirements For Directors ::
At least one
Requirements For Directors ::
At least one
Legal Representative Not Mandatory:
Negative
Legal Representative Not Mandatory:
Negative
Local Directors Not Mandatory:
Positive
Local Directors Not Mandatory:
Positive
Local Secretaries Not Mandatory:
Negative
Local Secretaries Not Mandatory:
Positive

Registered Capital Requirement

AG
GmbH
Minimum Registered Capital Requirement:
50,000 euros
Minimum Registered Capital Requirement:
1. Starting from 25,000 euros.
Capital Injection Not Required:
Positive
Capital Injection Not Required:
Negative
Capital Injection Requirement:
N/A
Capital Injection Requirement:
1. 50% needs to be paid before the establishment of the company.

Memo

AG
GmbH
Memo:
At least three members of the board of supervisors are needed to oversee the decisions of the board of directors.
Memo:
N/A

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TKEG Expat Corporate Services - German Gmbh company registration + VAT + EORI
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Germany
CI - Company Incorporation

German Gmbh company registration + VAT + EORI

From EUR 3,875.00 / Company
Product Valid: Positive
Applicant Must Be Present: no
Applicable country/region
DE - Germany
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