Trust vs Company in Australia: Which Structure Should You Choose?
Family trust vs company in Australia, compared side by side: tax, asset protection, costs, losses, investors and succession — and which one suits you.
Plain-English help with the things that actually trip up Australian business owners — tax and BAS, choosing software, business structures, cash flow and getting customers.
Four areas where small business owners lose the most time and money — explained properly, for Australian conditions.
Structures, registrations and business plans
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Explore guidesHow to start and run specific types of business
Explore guidesFamily trust vs company in Australia, compared side by side: tax, asset protection, costs, losses, investors and succession — and which one suits you.
How to become a sole trader in Australia in one day: register your ABN free, then business name, GST, bank account, licences, insurance and records.
How much does an ABN cost? Nothing — ABN registration is free through the Australian Business Register, with no renewal fee. Here's who charges you anyway.
How much does a family trust cost in Australia? $166–$500 DIY or $1,500–$3,000+ via an accountant, plus stamp duty, ASIC fees and $1,000–$3,000 a year to run.
Setting up a Pty Ltd company in Australia costs $636 in ASIC fees, or $700–$3,000 with help. Every setup and yearly running cost in one table (2026 figures).
The nine business contracts small businesses actually use — service terms, contractor agreements, leases, NDAs and more — and the clauses that bite.
Most small business content online is written for the US — different tax system, different laws, different software. Everything here starts from the Australian reality: the ATO, GST, ASIC, awards and super.
Get your structure, registrations and plan right the first time — it's far cheaper than fixing them later.
Read the starting-out guides