Comparison

Seisly vs SeedLegals

Seisly does SEIS and EIS advance assurance for a flat fee. SeedLegals is a full fundraising platform that handles it as one module. Here is an honest comparison of price, scope and turnaround.

Seisly ✦SeedLegalsHiring a lawyer
Headline price£75 flat, one-time£499 + VAT standalone, or included in a plan~£1,000–£2,500
Pricing modelSingle fixed feeStandalone bolt-on, or bundled in an annual planHourly or quoted
Subscription requiredNoneNot for standalone AA; plans from £649 + VAT/yrNone
Application drafted for youDone-for-youGuided build + expert reviewBespoke
AI-assisted draftingYesAI reviewManual
Filing with HMRCOptional add-onIncludedIncluded
Bespoke legal / tax adviceNot adviceNot adviceYes
Wider fundraising toolsAdvance assurance onlyCap table, rounds, optionsNone
Best suited toThe typical SEIS/EIS applicationFounders wanting a full fundraising platformGenuinely complex / edge-case structures

Scroll across to compare all three →

Prices verified against seisly.com and seedlegals.com/pricing, June 2026. Lawyer fees are a typical market range.

What you actually pay

Seisly charges a flat £75 for the prepared application, with HMRC filing as an optional add-on. SeedLegals lists SEIS/EIS Advance Assurance at £499 + VAT as a standalone purchase, or includes one within an annual plan (Access from £649 + VAT/year). A solicitor or accountant typically charges between £1,000 and £2,500, usually billed hourly.

How long it takes

Seisly drafts your application from a short questionnaire, usually in under an hour. HMRC then typically takes 4 to 8 weeks to respond, whichever route you use. SeedLegals' team reviews your application over roughly one to two weeks before submission.

Is SeedLegals advance assurance really free?

SeedLegals offers advance assurance free, but only inside a subscription: its plans run from £649/year (Access) to £1,199/year (Funding), plus VAT. If you want the whole fundraising platform, that can be good value. If you only need the application prepared and filed, a flat £75 once is far cheaper than any annual plan, with nothing else to buy.

Where SeedLegals wins

It is an all-in-one fundraising platform – cap table, funding rounds, share issues and EMI or unapproved options, on one subscription, with continuity from round to compliance. If advance assurance is one part of a wider, ongoing need, that breadth is the point.

Where Seisly wins

A flat £75 for the application alone, done for you, with optional HMRC filing and no subscription. A specialist focus on advance assurance, and a referral to a recognised firm through Seisly Advisers if your case needs one.

Where a lawyer wins

Genuinely complex or bespoke structures, or formal advice an investor requires.

SeedLegals vs Seisly: frequently asked questions

Is Seisly better than SeedLegals for SEIS/EIS advance assurance?

It depends what you need. For the application alone, Seisly prepares and optionally files it for a flat £75 with no subscription. If you also want a full fundraising platform – cap table, rounds, EMI options – SeedLegals bundles that into an annual plan. For the application on its own, Seisly is the more direct, lower-cost route; for the whole raise on one platform, SeedLegals is built for that.

What is the difference between Seisly and SeedLegals?

Seisly does one thing: prepare, and optionally file, your SEIS/EIS advance assurance application for a flat £75. SeedLegals is a broad fundraising platform that handles advance assurance as one module alongside cap tables, funding rounds and option schemes, priced through annual plans.

Is Seisly cheaper than SeedLegals?

For advance assurance on its own, yes. Seisly is a flat £75. SeedLegals lists it at £499 + VAT standalone, or includes one within a plan from £649 + VAT a year. If you want the wider platform a plan can be worth it; if you only need the application, Seisly is the cheaper route.

Can Seisly replace hiring a lawyer for SEIS/EIS advance assurance?

For a straightforward application, yes – that is what Seisly is built for. For genuinely complex cases – a borderline excluded trade, a group or overseas structure, or an investor who requires sign-off from a recognised firm – a solicitor or tax adviser is the right call, and Seisly can refer you to one through Seisly Advisers.

How long does SEIS/EIS advance assurance take?

Seisly drafts your application from a short questionnaire, usually in under an hour. HMRC then typically takes 4 to 8 weeks to respond, whichever route you use.

Who should use SeedLegals or a lawyer instead of Seisly?

Choose SeedLegals if advance assurance is one part of a wider need – cap table, rounds, share issues or EMI options on one subscription. Hire a lawyer if your situation is genuinely complex or an investor requires formal professional advice. Choose Seisly if you mainly need the application prepared correctly and optionally filed, for a flat fee.

Figures verified against Seisly (seisly.com); SeedLegals pricing (seedlegals.com/pricing); HMRC advance assurance guidance (gov.uk), June 2026. Competitor prices and HMRC thresholds are taken from primary sources, not from either party's marketing about the other.

Only need advance assurance?

Check whether you qualify in about five minutes, free. If your case needs more than an application, your report will tell you.

From £75. No account, no email sign-up.