Ownr | Incorporate Your Business and Stay Compliant

TL;DR Summary

Ownr is not your typical accounting software—it’s the legal foundation that makes accounting possible. Designed specifically for Canadians, it automates the complex process of registering sole proprietorships and incorporating businesses in minutes. While it doesn't track daily expenses like QuickBooks or Xero, it handles the "corporate accounting" side: share structures, minute books, and annual compliance.

• Best For: New Canadian business owners (Sole Prop or Corp) and entrepreneurs dreading paperwork.
• Cost: $49 (Sole Prop) to $599+ (Incorporation).
• Key Perk: Up to $300 cash back if you open an RBC business bank account.
• Verdict: Essential for starting legally and correctly without a $2,000 lawyer bill.

The Headache of "Day One"

I remember when I first decided to start a business. I had my spreadsheet ready for revenue projections and a vague idea of how I’d track expenses. But before I could even record my first sale, I hit a wall: The Government.

Forms, legal jargon, "articles of incorporation," minute books—it was a nightmare. I wasn't an accountant or a lawyer; I was just someone trying to sell a service. I ended up paying a lawyer nearly $1,800 just to get a binder of papers I was too afraid to touch.

That is exactly the problem Ownr.co solves.

If you are a Canadian small business owner knowing you need to get your house in order, Ownr is likely your first step. It isn't a replacement for bookkeeping software; it’s the vehicle that gets you legal so you can do your accounting properly.

What is Ownr?

Ownr is a legal technology platform owned by RBC Ventures. It simplifies business formation and ongoing compliance for Canadians.

Think of it as the bridge between "I have an idea" and "I have a legal business." Instead of navigating the confusing government websites of Ontario, B.C., Alberta, or Quebec, or paying a lawyer an eye-watering retainer, Ownr lets you fill out simple, plain-English questionnaires. Their software then generates the legal documents and files them with the government instantly.

But what makes it interesting for an accounting discussion is how it handles the ongoing financial compliance that most small business owners forget about—like Minute Books and Shareholder Resolutions.

Practical Benefits: Why It Matters for Your Books

You might be thinking, "This sounds like legal stuff, why is this in an accounting software directory?"

Great question. Here is the reality: You cannot have clean accounting without clean legal structure.

1. The "Corporate Accounting" Gap: Most bookkeeping tools (like Xero or QuickBooks) track operational money (sales in, expenses out). They generally do not track corporate money (who owns how many shares, dividend resolutions, and cap tables). Ownr handles this.
2. Audit-Proofing: If the CRA ever audits you, they don't just want to see your receipts; they want to see your Minute Book. If you don't have one, or it's empty, you are in trouble. Ownr keeps this digital and up-to-date automatically.
3. Paying Yourself: To legally pay yourself dividends (which saves on taxes), you need a Board Resolution. Ownr generates these for you so your accountant has the paper trail to justify the transaction.

Features & Specs

Ownr is robust. Here is what is under the hood:

• Sole Proprietorship Registration: A quick, one-and-done registration. You get your Master Business License in about 15 minutes.
• Federal & Provincial Incorporation: Handles the name search (NUANS), Articles of Incorporation, and government filing fees.
• Digital Minute Book: This is the killer feature. It replaces the dusty physical binder with a cloud-based dashboard holding your bylaws, shareholder ledgers, and director registers.
• Cap Table Management: For corporations, it tracks exactly who owns what percentage of the company—crucial if you ever bring on a partner or investor.
• Employee Stock Options: If you grow big enough to hire a team, Ownr allows you to set up and manage employee stock option plans (ESOPs).

Implementation: Minutes, Not Weeks

I cannot stress enough how much faster this is than the traditional route.

• Traditional Route: Call lawyer, wait for appointment, drive to office, discuss, wait 2 weeks for drafting, drive back to sign, wait for government processing.
• Ownr Route: Log in, type in your business name, answer questions like "Who is the director?", pay, and click submit.

The dashboard is clean and modern. It feels more like setting up a Facebook profile than filing legal tax documents.

How It Compares to Competitors

There are three main buckets of competitors here.

Social Proof Ownr isn't a small startup anymore; they have helped over 170,000 businesses launch.

"Ownr should be in the dictionary as a synonym for the word swift... Can't express enough gratitude towards Ownr." — Reviews.io User

"I used to think all cybersecurity companies were the same... But after my experience with Ownr... I’ve completely changed my view." — Google Review

"We ended up going with Ownr and are glad we did. I think the best way to describe the process is the difference between filing tax paperwork, vs filing online with something like TurboTax." — Reddit User (r/PersonalFinanceCanada)

Pricing: Is It Worth It?

Pricing is transparent, which I appreciate.

1. Sole Proprietorship: $49 (One-time)

• Includes business registration and name search.
• Value: Government fees alone can be close to this depending on the province. The time saved is easily worth the $49.

2. Online Minute Book Plan: $199 / year

• For existing corporations.
• Keeps you compliant with annual filings (which are mandatory).

3. Incorporation: $499 - $699 (One-time) + Gov Fees

• Federal: ~$499 + fees.
• Provincial: ~$599 + fees.
• Note: This includes the first year of the Minute Book plan ($199 value).

The "RBC" Secret Weapon: Here is how you make this essentially free. Because RBC owns Ownr, they offer a massive cash-back deal.

• If you register a Sole Prop and open an RBC business account: You get $49 back. (Cost = $0).
• If you Incorporate and open an RBC business account: You get $300 back.

If you were planning to open a bank account anyway (which you should, never mix personal and business funds!), this makes Ownr a no-brainer financially.

Common Questions (FAQ)

Is Ownr essentially QuickBooks? No. Ownr creates the company and manages corporate legal documents (shares, bylaws). QuickBooks/Xero manages daily finances (invoices, expenses). You need both. Ownr actually partners with Xero and QuickBooks to give you discounts on their software once you register.

What happens if I’m not happy? Ownr offers a Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are unsatisfied within 60 days, they will refund their service fees. (Note: They cannot refund the money they already paid to the government on your behalf, which is fair).

Does Ownr work in every province? Currently, they support Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec for full registration. However, you can incorporate Federally from anywhere.

Summary

If you are a small business owner sitting on the fence, worried about the complexity of starting, Ownr is the "unsticking" mechanism you need. It forces you to get organized, legitimizes your business in the eyes of the government and banks, and sets up the corporate structure your accountant will thank you for later.

It is authoritative, easy to use, and with the banking cash-back offer, it effectively pays for itself.

Ready to get your business official? Stop delaying the paperwork and get back to real work.

Get Started With Ownr Today