Ownr — Independent Software Review

Make your business official today

Compliance Transparency Index

Grade: C — Score: 50/100

Best For

• Canadian founders registering a sole proprietorship or incorporating in a supported province. Ownr combines the filing workflow with business name searches and formation documents.
• Small corporations that want annual registry filings, resolutions, and a cloud minute book managed in one account.
• Growing corporations that need recurring director, officer, address, ownership, employee, or equity-plan administration.
• Founders who qualify for the RBC business bank account offer and are comfortable keeping the account open for the required one-year period.

Not Ideal For

• Founders forming a business outside Ownr's supported Canadian jurisdictions. Ownr is not a general international formation platform.
• Businesses seeking one-time corporate formation with no annual subscription. Ownr's corporate plans have a one-year minimum and renew annually.
• Companies that need individualized legal or tax advice. Ownr states that it is not a law firm and provides self-help services at the customer's direction.
• Businesses looking for incorporated bookkeeping, corporate income tax preparation, or a broad accounting system. Ownr handles formation and legal compliance records, not the corporation's T2 return.

Operational Overview

Pricing Structure

Sole Proprietorship Registration: CAD $49 one time

• Government fees covered by Ownr
• Business name search and registration number
• Registration documents and document storage
• Ownr Perks and chat support

Online Minute Book Plan: CAD $599 in Alberta or Ontario; CAD $699 in British Columbia or Quebec; renews at CAD $199/year

• Provincial incorporation and company organization documents
• Annual registry filings and corporate resolutions
• Online minute book and secure document storage
• GST or HST registration and corporate changes available for extra fees

Managed Corporation Plan: CAD $1,098 in Alberta or Ontario; CAD $1,198 in British Columbia; renews at CAD $599/year

• Everything in Online Minute Book Plan
• GST or HST account registration
• Address, director, and officer changes
• Unlimited users, legal document library, and priority support

Managed Shareholders Add-On: CAD $297/year

• Available only with Managed Corporation Plan
• Includes three shareholders
• Additional shareholders cost CAD $99/year each
• Share issuances, transfers, repurchases, and shareholder agreements

Managed Employees & Contractors Add-On: CAD $99/year

• Available only with Managed Corporation Plan
• Includes three employees or contractors
• Additional workers cost CAD $39/year each
• Employment and contractor agreements

Employee Stock Option Plan Add-On: CAD $999/year

• Available only with Managed Corporation Plan
• Create and administer an employee stock option plan
• Award and exercise options through Ownr
• Employee access through the Ownr Shares portal

Alternative Consideration

Consider switching to LegalZoom: LegalZoom offers a broader range of legal services beyond business registration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ownr worth using instead of registering directly with the government?

Ownr adds a guided filing workflow, mandatory minute book documents, document storage, and annual legal compliance tools that a direct government filing does not include. Filing directly can cost less, but you must prepare and maintain the corporate records yourself. Ownr is most useful when the convenience and ongoing recordkeeping justify the service fee.

Does Ownr replace a lawyer for incorporation?

No. Ownr states that it is not a law firm and provides self-help services at the customer's direction. It can handle a standard incorporation and generate common corporate documents, but businesses needing individualized legal advice, advanced tax planning, or a lawyer's review should use counsel.

Do I need to keep paying Ownr after the business is incorporated?

Ownr's corporate plans renew annually because the subscription covers the digital minute book, annual return filing, shareholder and director resolutions, waiver of auditor forms, cloud storage, and support. You may cancel before renewal and manage those duties elsewhere, but the corporation's legal compliance obligations continue. The corporate plans have a one-year minimum.

What happens to my corporate documents if I cancel Ownr?

Before the subscription expires, download every minute book document and other uploaded file, then export the cap table. Ownr says access to the dashboard, minute book, documents, and cap table ends after expiration. A canceled plan remains active until the end of the current paid period and can later be reactivated.

Does Ownr file both annual returns and corporate tax returns?

Ownr prepares and files the annual registry return and creates the accompanying shareholder and director resolutions and waiver of auditor form. Ownr does not file the corporation's T2 income tax return, which is a separate CRA obligation. Buyers still need an accountant or another tax-filing method for the T2.

Can Ownr incorporate a business federally or provincially?

The supplied pricing captures show provincial incorporation in Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec. Ownr also documents federal incorporation for companies based in Ontario, where buyers can choose federal or Ontario provincial incorporation. Availability and government fees depend on the jurisdiction selected in Ownr's pricing workflow.

Can Ownr handle multiple shareholders and complex share structures?

Ownr can create initial share classes, issue shares, maintain a cap table, and record ownership. On the Managed Corporation Plan, the CAD $297 yearly Managed Shareholders add-on covers issuances, transfers, repurchases, vesting, shareholder agreements, SAFEs, convertible notes, and share splits for up to three shareholders, with extra shareholders at CAD $99 per year each. Ownr does not provide personalized advice on how a complex ownership or tax structure should be designed.

How does the Ownr RBC business bank account rebate work?

Ownr offers a CAD $49 sole-proprietorship rebate or CAD $300 incorporation rebate when the customer applies for and is approved for a new RBC business bank account within 60 days. RBC controls approval. If an automatic discount was taken and the qualifying account is not completed in time, Ownr says the discounted amount can be charged back to the original payment card.

Can Ownr manage employees, contractors, and stock options?

Ownr offers these functions only as Managed Corporation add-ons. Managed Employees & Contractors costs CAD $99 per year for three workers, with extra workers at CAD $39 per year each, while the Employee Stock Option Plan costs CAD $999 per year and includes an employee portal for tracking and exercising options. Neither add-on is included in the Online Minute Book Plan.

Is Ownr suitable for a simple one-person corporation?

Yes. The Online Minute Book Plan is positioned for early-stage corporations and covers incorporation documents, the minute book, annual registry filings, and required resolutions. A one-person contractor may still decide that direct annual filing and self-managed document storage are enough, but canceling Ownr means taking responsibility for those duties and losing dashboard access after the paid term.

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