Business and domestic software development: UK companies
101,620 live UK companies list business and domestic software development as their main trade, or 1.8% of the register. It ranks 7th among the 60 trades we cover. 17,907 of those companies were formed in 2025, against 1,923 still live from 2015. 5,878 (5.8%) have a proposal to strike off on file, below the UK figure of 7.3%.
Where they're registered
Where this trade is unusually common
The town's share of this trade, compared with its share of all UK companies.
By year formed
Only companies still live are counted, so older years look smaller. 2026 stops on 1 November 2026.
20122026
See every year as a table
| Year | Live companies |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,551 |
| 2013 | 1,639 |
| 2014 | 1,780 |
| 2015 | 1,923 |
| 2016 | 2,233 |
| 2017 | 2,620 |
| 2018 | 3,050 |
| 2019 | 3,648 |
| 2020 | 3,674 |
| 2021 | 3,974 |
| 2022 | 4,345 |
| 2023 | 6,073 |
| 2024 | 8,065 |
| 2025 | 17,907 |
| 2026 | 28,749 |
Oldest active companies in this trade
- Baltic ExchangeFormed 1900
- The Smarter Web Company PlcFormed 1907
- John Smith & Son GroupFormed 1908
- UnisysFormed 1909
- NeutralFormed 1927
Related by size
- Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet
- Information technology consultancy activities
- Development of building projects
- Other human health activities
- Take-away food shops and mobile food stands
- Construction of domestic buildings
Trade means the first Standard Industrial Classification code (SIC 62012) a company declares. Companies choose their own codes. Figures come from Companies House on 1 November 2026.