Start here: the non-negotiable
Before comparing providers, fix one fact. In Hungary, the articles of association of a Kft are valid only with an attorney countersignature(§ 6 of the Companies Act, Ctv.). There is no lawful “no-lawyer” formation. So the choice is not whether a Hungarian attorney is involved — one always is — but what is bundled and digitised around that legally required act, and whether the post-formation handoff is handled.
The four routes, side by side
| What matters | Traditional law firm | Formation agent | DIY | Zenty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hungarian attorney countersignature | Yes — directly | Sometimes; check it is included | You must source it | Yes — partner firm, built in |
| Fully remote (video ID) | Varies; often in person | Varies | Up to you to arrange | Yes — countersignature by video |
| Fixed, transparent price | Often à la carte | Headline price, watch exclusions | Unpredictable | Fixed tier price |
| Post-formation handoff (bank, NAV, accountant) | Rarely included | Limited | On you | Organised — bank, NAV, accountant |
| Non-resident support (process agent, apostille) | Possible, ad hoc | Varies widely | You coordinate it | International tier bundles it |
| Status tracking | Email and phone | None | Live status in one place |
Traditional Hungarian law firm
A law firm does the legal act directly and is the right home for genuinely bespoke work — complex shareholder arrangements, unusual share classes, regulated-industry licensing, negotiated custom drafting. The trade-off for a standard formation is operational: the process tends to run over email, phone, and sometimes in-person meetings, pricing is often à la carte, and the post-formation handoff (opening a bank account, the tax-authority steps, finding an accountant) is usually left to you. For foreign founders, fully remote handling and English-language service are not guaranteed.
International formation agent
Cross-border incorporation agents market convenience and a single checkout across many countries. The thing to verify is what the price actually contains. Because a Hungarian Kft legally requires an attorney countersignature, an agent must either include a Hungarian attorney or subcontract one — confirm this is in the price and not an add-on, and check who is accountable. Agents are often thinner on the local post-formation reality that decides whether you can actually trade: non-resident banking, the tax-authority registration, and a local accountant.
Doing it yourself
Entirely possible, and the cheapest in cash terms. The cost is coordination: you find and engage a Hungarian attorney, you keep the document versions straight, you arrange identification, and you handle every post-registration step — bank, tax authority, accountant — yourself. For a founder who knows the system and has time, this works. For most first-time and non-resident founders, the coordination is the hard part, not the law.
Where Zenty fits
Zenty is the digital layer with the lawyer built in. The partner firm, Tallár Law Firm, performs the countersignature and the court representation; Zenty runs the intake, document preparation, remote video identification, status tracking, and the post-formation handoff to a bank, the tax authority, and an accountant — for a fixed tier price. The International tier adds the process agent, apostille, and translation logistics that non-resident founders need. It is not an alternative to a lawyer; it is a lawyer plus the operational scaffolding around the formation.
The honest summary: choose a law firm for bespoke, judgement-heavy structures; choose Zenty when you want a standard Hungarian Kft formed correctly, remotely, at a fixed price, with the bank-and-accountant handoff handled — and the legally required attorney already in the room.
Reviewed by Dr. Tallár Ákos, attorney (Tallár Law Firm, MÜK 5203)