Jurisdiction comparison · 2026

Bulgaria 🇧🇬 vs Ireland 🇮🇪: Where Should EU Founders Incorporate in 2026?

Ireland remains attractive for IP-heavy multinationals. For everyone else — especially bootstrapped SaaS and consulting — Bulgaria delivers a lower headline rate and dramatically lower operating costs.

Head-to-head

	Bulgaria 🇧🇬	Ireland 🇮🇪
Corporate tax	10% flat	12.5% (15% for large)
Dividend tax	5%	25% (treaty reduced)
VAT rate	20% (0% intra-EU B2B)	23%
Min. share capital	BGN 2 (≈ €1)	€1 (LTD)
Setup time	3–7 business days	1–2 weeks
EU membership	Yes (since 2007)	Yes (1973)
Social contributions	~32% (capped at BGN 4,130/mo)	~14.95% employer PRSI

Why Bulgaria wins

Headline rate 10% vs 12.5%, and Ireland is now at 15% for large groups under Pillar Two
Dividend WHT: 5% vs 25% domestic Irish rate
Cost of doing business in Dublin is 3–5x cheaper in Sofia/Varna
No CRO filing complexity — Bulgarian Trade Register is faster and cheaper
Ireland's housing crisis makes relocating staff very difficult

When Ireland is the better pick

If you need US tech ecosystem proximity (most US tech EMEA HQs are Dublin)
If you specifically need the Knowledge Development Box for IP at 6.25%

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