I’ve been using Xolo Leap to manage my Estonian OÜ since 2018. Eight years. That’s not a sponsored 30-day trial review — it’s a relationship that has survived VAT rule changes, pandemic pivots, career shifts, Estonian tax reforms, and the entire evolution of the e-Residency ecosystem. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Why I chose an Estonian OÜ in the first place

When I started freelancing in Spain, working as a simple autonoma was fine at first, but then I came across an interesting piece of work for a US client, who had no viable way of contracting with and paying a European freelancer. “No problem”, the founder assured me, “just spin up an entity so you can invoice!” He had no idea what he was asking… A Spanish SL (sociedad limitada) requires notary visits, minimum capital deposits, and ongoing compliance that’s frankly absurd for a solo freelancer, and frequently got declined anyway. The whole process could well have lasted longer than the contract itself. Many entrepreneurs I knew used UK Ltd companies for this purpose, but this was 2018, and the country of my birth had just committed the greatest act of political self-harm imaginable, and was at that time in complete limbo as to what the final post-Brexit withdrawal agreement and relationship with Europe would even look like. I felt that would not be the right way to go, and I wanted to operate the business itself in euros and the Eurozone anyway.

Then I remembered writing an article not long before, about a European country which offered digital business setup for foreigners, based on a gov-tech setup that was completely unique.

Estonian e-Residency offered me the chance to create and run a legitimate EU company structure that I could set up and manage entirely online. No flights to Tallinn needed. No physical office. Just a clean, professional company with limited liability and the credibility of an EU registration.

But running a company in a country does require some functionality like a physical address, and of course compliant accounting systems. Back when I started the options were limited, and there is now a marketplace of differentiated providers, for different use-cases. As a solopreneur though, Xolo Leap (which was called LeapIn when I first joined them back in the day) still works perfectly, and I have had no reason to change this since!

What Xolo Leap actually does

Leap is an all-in-one management service for Estonian e-Residency companies. Here’s what’s included in my plan:

Accounting and tax compliance

  • Monthly bookkeeping from my invoices and expenses
  • Quarterly VAT returns (including EU OSS when applicable)
  • Annual report preparation and filing
  • Board member declarations and corporate tax

Invoicing

  • Professional invoice generation through the platform
  • Multi-currency support (I invoice in EUR, GBP, and USD, occasionally even AUD and HKD - a linked Wise account makes things easy for clients worldwide.)
  • Automatic revenue tracking against my accounting

Registered address and legal representation

  • Estonian registered address for the company
  • Contact person (required by Estonian law for non-resident directors)
  • Official correspondence handling

Banking integration

  • Connects with Wise, Paypal, Stripe, Amazon, and traditional banks
  • Transaction reconciliation
  • Expense categorisation

What I genuinely like after 8 years

Digital speed of getting things done. From filing an expense to raising an invoice, the whole platform is beautifully designed to create ease. For a recurring invoice, i.e. for a client already set up, it literally takes less than a minute each time.

A corporate entity and limited personal liability.. I prefer making contracts and delivering my work as an independent private limited company. I have never been sued by a client, but we live in strange times, and without that separation, my children’s home could be on the line if someone decided I had caused them a detriment in some way - it’s very hard to get adequate professional indemnity cover for creative work for global clients.

The dashboard gives real visibility. I can see my revenue, expenses, tax position, and VAT liability in real time. No waiting for my accountant to get back to me with numbers that are already two months old.

The accounting team is responsive. When I have questions about how to categorise something, or whether a particular expense is deductible, I get answers within a day. They’re not just button-pushers — they understand the specific situation of e-Residency company owners.

Annual reports just happen. Every year, the annual report gets prepared and I review it, approve it, and it’s filed. No drama, no chasing. This alone is worth the monthly fee if you’ve ever dealt with accountants who need constant nagging.

It scales down gracefully. There have been quieter months where my company had minimal activity. Leap doesn’t penalise you for that — the flat monthly fee means you’re not paying per-transaction or per-invoice.

What’s not perfect

It’s not cheap. Plans start from around EUR 49/month (pricing has evolved over the years). For a solo freelancer with straightforward needs, that’s EUR 588/year before you factor in any Estonian state fees, banking costs, or other overheads. If your revenue doesn’t justify a company structure, this isn’t the right solution — and I’d say the same about any service provider, not just Xolo. Don’t form a company unless you need to, because there will be costs involve even to close it down one day.

You still need to understand your own tax situation. Leap manages your Estonian company beautifully. But it doesn’t — and can’t — advise you on your personal tax obligations in the country where you actually live. If you’re in Spain and tax resident there, you still need to understand your obligations to Hacienda. If you’re in the UK, HMRC still wants to know about your foreign company. Leap is your Estonian accountant, not your worldwide tax advisor, and they can’t protect you from permanent establishment elsewhere (even though they do filter applicants at risk, e.g. those who have clear substance in the country they live in.)

The platform has grown and changed. Over 8 years, I’ve seen interface redesigns, feature changes, branding changes… Nothing catastrophic, but it’s worth mentioning that this is a startup-built product that’s still evolving, not a mature enterprise tool. Nothing in Estonia is, including the government - so the mindset shift is to regard this as a feature, not a bug, and embrace the differences (such as their recently added support for ecommerce businesses.)

Who should consider Xolo Leap

Based on my experience, Leap works best for:

  • Solo founders and small teams running a service business through an Estonian OÜ
  • People with international clients in multiple countries (this strengthens your economic substance argument)
  • Freelancers who value transparency and want to see their numbers in real time rather than waiting for quarterly reports
  • Anyone who doesn’t speak Estonian — the entire service operates in English (actually a lot does in Estonia!)

It’s probably not right for:

  • People whose business is entirely local to one country — you may be better off with a local structure
  • Very early-stage freelancers — if you’re not yet earning enough to justify company overheads, start simpler
  • Regulated industries, cryptocurrencies, holding companies, bricks and mortar companies, wealth management — Xolo Leap does not support these. Check out the e-Residency marketplace for plenty who do

The bottom line

After 8 years, I’m still using Xolo Leap. That’s the most honest and sincere review I can give. It’s not perfect, it’s not the cheapest option, but it does exactly what I need: it keeps my Estonian company compliant, gives me clear visibility into my finances, and means I can focus on my actual work instead of chasing paperwork.

If you’re considering an Estonian OÜ through e-Residency, read our honest assessment of whether e-Residency is still worth it in 2026 first. The company structure has to make sense before the management tool does. Not everyone needs a separate entity to operate, and you can limit your personal liability in other ways.

And if you’re ready to try Leap: get started with Xolo Leap here.

Remote Work Europe has a partnership with Xolo. We only partner with services we have personally used and would recommend regardless. It will never cost you more to use our partner link. Read our full partner policy.

This article is based on Maya’s personal experience as a long-term Xolo Leap user. Your business, tax situation, and needs may differ. This is not tax advice — consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your circumstances.